Author: Jon Bell

This keynote presentation was a conversation with Tom Kundig, FAIA, RIBA, Principal / Owner & Founder, Olson Kundig, and Sarah Broughton, FAIA, Co-Founding Principal at Rowland+Broughton Architecture / Urban Design / Interior Design and 2023 President of AIA Colorado, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Kicking off the conference, this keynote session featured Tom Kundig sharing his contextual approach to design, providing an overview of his work that often serves as a backdrop to the built, cultural, or natural landscapes that surround them. In the wide-ranging conversation, Tom shared his philosophies around craftsmanship, collaboration, and what it means for humans to be in a relationship with architecture.

“It was an honor to interview Tom as part of his keynote talk at the conference this year. Olson Kundig’s work and practice is an inspiration to me personally and I know many other Colorado AIA members share this admiration.

Tom’s candid and intimate sharing of his career and journey was enlightening. From how his mountain climbing hobby taught him time management, to his love of simple structures and his admiration of sculpture, it highlighted how Tom is able to consistently contribute and push his architecture. His openness echoes his curiosity and how that thirst for life has resulted on currently working on every continent other than Antarctica. Way to go Tom and thank you!“

— Sarah Broughton, FAIA

Tom on where he learned time management:

“Just starting with something that was super important to me, which were the mountains. I grew up in the mountains. My parents are both Swiss. So naturally, the mountains are really important to my life and I learned a few things mountain climbing and mountain skiing, and all of you that do those sports know how difficult those sports are, and the risk reward. And this is what was most important to learn, sort of risk reward for hard, hard work. Not necessarily romantic, some of those unbelievable, almost spiritual moments you get with a lot of hard work. 

And we all know as practicing architects, that’s what it’s all about. It’s really about hard work for occasionally, the really special moments. Climbing with John Roskelley and Chris Kopczynski, I learned how to time manage, which is a hard issue for a lot of architects and contractors. To date. I’ve never been wrong walking on a construction site. And a contractor will say the critical path is finishing this project on this date. I will consistently say you’re not even close. You’re four or five months away. And I’ve never been wrong, unfortunately, because that hurts us all.

What I learned from John, and was he obviously a world class climber. He says ‘as soon as you start to climb, you’re already behind schedule‘. And your job in every phase of the project is to find five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes. So you’re banking the hours in advance of the inevitable surprise at the end of the project.

That’s the way a few of us in the office were when we were managing projects. And again, I learned that from climbing with John and Chris, learning how to manage my time. And to be tough as nails about the risk reward.”

A few of Tom’s thoughts for emerging professionals:

“..this is particularly important for the students or the young professionals in the audience, is if you work on small projects, you go through the cycles quickly. And so you recognize my scribble had this effect during construction. And it was either a good thing or was not a good thing. So you have that cycle. That goes quickly. When we worked on the Burke Natural History Museum, I was on that project for 14 years from scribbles to finally opening up… But if you were a young architect that worked on that project, you would only have seen it in 14 years. That’s a significant part of your career, working on a relatively complicated, large project, and you have a small part of it.

What we like to do is put students and young professionals on large projects to learn about large projects, but also have two or three small projects along the side. And you can only really do it in some retail kind of agendas. But we think the residential arenas, super important for that.”

“..for the students and young professionals, I was 32 years old when I started on this project, I don’t think I was doing architecture when I got my I got my license when I was 24 years old. And that was super young. And I said to my dad, you know, I actually don’t think I’m an architect. And he said to me, ‘well, you’re not actually. You’re licensed, but you’re not an architect.’ And I actually, that was actually a wise thing to say because, of course, I was involved in a number of buildings for a number of years. But until I worked on studio house, I didn’t feel like I had matured to the point where I was actually an architect. So be patient. It takes time. It’s frustrating, but it’s ultimately all worth it.”

Tom’s thoughts on mission statements:

“There is no agenda in our office. There is no mission statement in our office… I think it was Mark Cuban that said, ‘if you have a mission statement, you’re already you’re already failing.’ Which I think is kind of interesting. I don’t know if that’s totally true. But he said that and of course it made us feel good because we don’t have a mission. We don’t have any real agenda, other than just trying to do great work. And it doesn’t matter what the scale of the project is, what the budget of the project is.”

Tom’s use of technology and Artificial Intelligence:

“I participate in none of the new technologies. I’m still pencil and paper. If there’s a proportional study for fenestration or whatever I have to do with pencil, I don’t use pens anymore.

But obviously, the office is fully loaded for bear with technology. And it’s kind of amazing what it’s capable of doing. A.I. of course, we have we’re experimenting with A.I. It was kind of hilarious, because the A.I, group in the office went out and they punched in my name. And I saw that building and thought That’s actually pretty good. It was kind of scary. But it is a tool and I think it’s a really interesting tool. I think you gotta recognize it as a tool.So far, and it can probably help, you know, in some ways, sort of understanding a situation, but I find it fascinating.”

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Tom’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by David Goldberg, FAIA, President, MITHUN, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

The second keynote speaker of the 2023 AIA Colorado Practice and Design Conference was Dave Goldberg from the architecture firm Mithun. As president of the practice, Dave presented the projects and approach to architecture that led to the firm’s selection as the 2023 AIA Architecture Firm of the Year.

Mithun was founded in 1949 by Omer Mithun in the Pacific Northwest and is now considered to be in its fourth and fifth generations of leadership. Dave focused on the evolution of the practice and their arrival at today’s mission of “Design for Positive Change.” 

Based on a spirit of design, education, environment, urban-placemaking, and civic engagement, the firm is notably structured as an interdisciplinary design practice that embraces collaboration. To make a bigger impact on the world, Mithun evolved from an architecture-centric practice to a collaborative interdisciplinary, project-centric practice that succeeds by integrating multiple design disciplines into the design process. Today, in addition to architecture, their integrated design model includes landscape architecture, urban design, planning, and research and development.

Dave presented the four pillars of the Mithun design firm: Collaborative Interdisciplinary Model, Centering Equity, Sustainable Design Leadership, and Innovative Research.

Collaborative Interdisciplinary Model

Meant to dispel the myth of the “all-knowing genius designer,” the new paradigm of architecture is to “collaborate, listen, and lead the process.” For Mithun, all disciplines having a “seat at the table” is both figurative and literal. In addition to each collaborator contributing input during design, the firm has been amplifying collaboration for years by embracing the laptop so that all team members can sit around the “big table” and screen to work together.

Centering Equity

While acknowledging the majority-white led firm and profession in general, Mithun is committed to using design to combat racism, bias, and discrimination in all forms. In addition to work on affordable housing projects and work with tribal and underserved communities, Mithun provides pro-bono design services by contributing approximately 1% of their net revenues annually.

Sustainable Design Leadership

Wide-ranging evidence of Mithun’s leadership in sustainability includes their early adoption of the 2030 Challenge, carbon-neutral operations since 2004, and seven AIA COTE design awards. Additionally, the firm helped develop the LEED Neighborhood Development program, Sustainable Sites Initiative, and created a Build Carbon Neutral online calculator to estimate the embodied carbon of construction projects.

Innovative Research

In 2016, Mithun formalized their R+D efforts to build upon past research and innovation success. Mithun R+D was created to sponsor internal project research, external partnerships, and intellectual research pursuits. Since the R+D formalization, the firm has funded over $1 million and 10,000 hours of research, with the participation of more than 100 Mithun staff.

Concluding the presentation, Dave shared their Louisiana Children’s Museum project that embodies the values and firm mission of “Design for Positive Change.” An AIA COTE Top Ten Plus Award winner, the project creates an outdoor learning laboratory for the children of New Orleans that exemplifies the triple bottom line of social well-being, environmental health, and a just economy. “Growing out of the trauma of Hurricane Katrina, the project became a model of resilience, integration of landscape, and bioclimatic design.”

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Dave’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by Carol Ross Barney, FAIA, HASLA, Principal, Ross Barney Architects, at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Carol Ross Barney was a refreshing start to the final day of the conference. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the breadth of the history of Chicago, the impact of cities on the environment, and how we can make an impact one project at a time, was not only informational, but also inspirational. Carol also delivered this with a great sense of humor that was much appreciated first thing in the morning. 

Some striking statistics Carol shared to set the scene is that in 2000, 50% of the world’s population lived in cities, today that number has increased to 56%. By 2050 the urban population is expected to double, with 7 out of 10 people living in cities. That is some serious density. Cities are also hugely imperfect and have a significant impact on our environment. One third of energy and carbon consumption are generated by cities. 

One way that Ross Barney Architects is hoping to improve on this situation is the revitalization and reconstruction of some of the Chicago (CTA) train stations that were demolished during the 1960’s and 70’s. We thought we had solved it all with the vehicle and interstates, and as such, we felt confident in demolishing critical infrastructure. 

With the growth of cities and the environmental impact they have, infrastructure, especially mass transit, is extremely important. Ross Barney has been working with the City of Chicago on innovative ways to rebuild some of these lost stations, often with the lines remaining active. Through these projects, the team has addressed significant noise pollution issues (one station was above the OSHA approved decibel rating for a warehouse working environment), protection from the Chicago weather, and self-cleaning precast concrete solutions. 

Carol also shared the firm’s resiliency work with McDonalds. Yes, you read that right. Ross Barney Architects designed the first ever LEED certified McDonalds in Chicago. Based on that success, McDonalds came back and asked for a Net Zero restaurant at Disney World in Orlando. Not only does the climate make that a difficult task, but also the significant energy consumption required for the cooklines. 

The project utilized creative, automatic louvers for cross ventilation, a full roof of PV, and a cutting edge “stand by cook line.” Typically, cook lines are running constantly and thus consuming significant energy. For this project, Ross Barney and McDonalds worked with the manufacturers to develop a standby line; this allowed the energy consumption to be drastically reduced and the goal of net zero to be within reach. With the addition of passive cooling technology via the automatic louvers, building form, and the solar roof, the project was able to meet net zero. 

A fun tidbit to the Disney World McDonalds was the lawyer’s requirement that the building have an audio notice prior to the louvers opening instructing the patrons that “the building is about to breathe; please keep fingers clear of the louvers.” ….the hot coffee incident really left a mark on their legal team.

Carol rounded out her presentation with some work the firm has been doing in smaller cities. One such project was the Railyard Park in Rodgers, Arkansas. This town of 75,000 people was once a “water stop” along the Frisco rail line. Their downtown was bordered by the abandoned loading space and previous site of the train depot; leaving a large swath of unutilized area. Ross Barney Architects designed a park within this space for the community to use, which was the product of many community engagement efforts. The city has adopted the park as their space and holds frequent events (up to four a week) within it. A previously underutilized space has been reborn as a gathering place for the community. 

Carol’s presentation covered a lot of ground and a variety of project types and scales. The biggest take away for me was to not be overwhelmed with trying to fix whole cities at once. Focus on the individual project and what impact it can have on the city and the community. Collectively and over time, with thoughtful design, we can make meaningful change in our communities. Bonus points if you can do it with a little humor. 

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Carol’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by Laura Britton, AIA, Associate, Shigeru Ban Architects, Dean Maltz, AIA, Partner, Shigeru Ban Architects, and Greg Kingsley, PhD, PE, President & CEO. KL&A, Engineers & Builders at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference.

Capping off the 2023 Practice + Design Conference, the fourth and final keynote presentation explored Shigeru Ban’s collaborative approach to architecture, engineering, and construction through a series of case studies representing the architects’ 38-year trajectory of work in wood.

Why Wood?

Wood is a renewable resource, it is often locally sourced, it provides biophilic design benefits, it helps achieve clean construction sites, and it is a high-performing material from a carbon sequestration and life-cycle analysis perspective.

What is mass timber?

Mass timber is solid wood building products, such as glulam beams and cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels that use small diameter timber to build up large structural elements. The small diameter timber provides the responsibly sourced material that can help manage forests. Additionally, timber is generally oversized to prevent burning by allowing the outer layer to char, and an example of a 1,300 year old Japanese temple was shown as evidence of the materials longevity.

Shigeru Ban Architect’s strength is how the material informs the building form and provides integrated structural and architectural solutions that portray a building’s authenticity. In many solutions, the structure is also the finish.

Because timber design and construction necessitate an interdisciplinary approach at the project’s outset, structural engineer Greg Kingsley was there to present ten key considerations for every timber project.

1. Is timber the right solution? It is not right for every project!
2. Establish your building type and understand the code requirements.
3. What is your fire-resistance rating?
4. Acoustic requirements (timber is inherently bad for acoustics)
5. Establish your grid (deflection and vibration criteria)
6. MEP strategy?
7. Optimize for wood volume.
8. Find potential suppliers.
9. Connection design
10. Erection strategy and tolerances

These code and engineering questions are all critical to the final architectural solution and need to be addressed early. Following these important considerations, the group presented a series of case studies that demonstrated successful and iconic timber projects and the practice’s design evolution in the building material.

Case Studies

GC Osaka Building – Feature: wooden fire protection around steel structure. This project demonstrated an early and innovative use of timber in construction. The building used a steel structure, but for the fireproofing Shigeru Ban tested and proved that a wood wrap will provide the necessary fire rating as well as the final wood finish.

Tamadic Nagoya – Feature: CLT concrete formwork left in place for wood finish and added strength.  Similar to the GC Osaka project, concrete was required structurally, but CLT formwork was used as a leave-in-place form to influence the final look of the building.

Centre Pompidou Metz – Feature: laminated wood in hexagonal woven pattern. This project exhibited the strength of wood as a building material in the final architectural form, however, this earlier example still relied on elements of steel at the connection points of the grid.

Tamedia New Office Building – Feature: seven story rigid frame entirely out of timber without steel joints or braces. In this project, the integration of architecture and structure succeeded in a fully wood frame without the reliance of steel at the joints.

Aspen Art Museum – Feature: long-span timber space frame roof structure with woven wood panel façade. This building starts to show more sophistication by the wood-only connections and CNC curved truss webs that gradually increase in depth at column locations to withstand additional forces.

Swatch Omega / Omega Factory – Feature: timber grid structure that mirrored the precision, clean, and quiet construction of the watches created in the buildings. Because of its undulating shape, the timber structure in this project was built from a digital, parametric model rather than traditional construction drawings. It was also a highly integrated design which used contiguous perforated ceiling panels to allow low volume air distribution to meet clean room standards, ETFE roof cushions for daylight, glass, CLT solid panels, and PV panels. The entire volume of timber used (4,600m³) corresponds to 10 hours of growth of all of Switzerland’s trees.

Kentucky Owl Park – Feature: multiple timber structures in a park setting at one of the oldest whiskey distilleries in the U.S. The buildings showcased the distilling process and incorporated visual elements of the local bourbon-making process

The case study presentation provided an overview of Shigeru Ban’s design evolution, illustrating the progression from cardboard tubes to the sophisticated parametric digital fabrication of timber elements.  Ban’s commitment to innovation and sustainability was evident throughout the trajectory of his career.

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Laura and Dean’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.

Presented by Damon Leverett, AIA, Senior Adjunct Lecturer, University of Arizona, President, AIA Arizona at ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Pre-Conference.

In a thought-provoking lecture delivered by Damon Leverett, the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and architecture took center stage, with a specific focus on the fascinating avenue of Image to Text. This comprehensive primer, grounded in meticulous observations and studies, sought to demystify AI’s role in reshaping the architectural profession.

Leverett began by prompting attendees to confront a crucial question: What is your greatest fear about AI in the architecture profession? This introspective query set the tone for a discourse that aimed to address both the promises and perils of integrating AI into architectural workflows.

A pivotal historical context was provided, revealing that the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is no newcomer to technological advancements, tracing its roots back to a conference in 1956. Leverett highlighted the sporadic evolution of AI tools over the years, from the advent of Google assistance to the omnipresence of Alexa, search engines, autocorrect, and Grammarly. The evolution of these tools underscored the gradual incorporation of AI into our daily lives, laying the groundwork for its application in the field of architecture.

The lecture emphasized the contemporary relevance of AI in architecture, pointing to the evolution of cloud technology as a key enabler. Leverett noted that the capacity to handle vast datasets securely in the cloud has propelled AI into the forefront of architectural innovation. The lecture then delved into various AI pathways, including Text to Text with Chat GPT, Text to Image exemplified by Midjourny, and other applications such as Text to Code and Text to Speech.

One of the standout applications highlighted was the use of Drone LiDAR in architecture, showcasing its ability to identify errors in construction processes. Among the AI platforms discussed, Stable Diffusion, Leonardo, and Midjourny were examined, with Midjourny emerging as a frontrunner, outperforming others by a significant margin.

The mechanics of AI-generated images were elucidated, with a focus on Machine Learning, Text to Image processes, and Natural Language Processing. Leverett emphasized the importance of alignment in generating desired outcomes and explored the diffusion process, drawing an analogy from a ball to illustrate the transformation from possibility to certainty.

Practical insights into writing effective prompts for AI were shared, outlining a systematic approach that starts with the highest priority information and progressively adds details. The “magic word” concept, exemplified by terms like “molten glass” or “cubic,” showcased the ability of AI to produce visually stunning outcomes based on specific prompts.

Ethical considerations in AI-driven design were underscored, urging practitioners not to use living architects’ names in prompts and emphasizing the distinction between copying a building and emulating a style. Leverett signed his work with “+AI,” highlighting the collaborative nature of AI and human creativity. The lecture touched upon AI’s capacity to rapidly produce architectural precedents, a process that would traditionally require extensive global exploration.

The discourse then delved into the realms of Blending, Weighting, and Editing in AI, with a focus on techniques that were still in their infancy, including the combination of images and prompts. The concept of “Describe,” where AI generates textual descriptions of images, showcased the potential of AI in enhancing architectural communication.

Ethical considerations resurfaced, delving into questions surrounding copyright infringement and the use of living architects’ names. Leverett presented case studies, including an exploration of AI as an inspirational tool in a high school gym project and its role as a modeling and processing tool in a technology museum.

The lecture closed with a contemplation of the ethical dimensions of AI in the art world, particularly in a case where AI-generated art bore a resemblance to an artist’s work. Leverett urged caution, reminding attendees not to rely on AI results as absolute facts. The presentation acknowledged that the field is in beta, and while AI is a powerful tool for critical thinking in education, it will continue to evolve over the next 4-5 years.

In essence, Damon Leverett’s lecture provided a rich tapestry of insights, navigating the intricate landscape of AI in architecture. Attendees left with not only a heightened awareness of the transformative potential of AI but also a sense of responsibility to wield this technology ethically and thoughtfully in the pursuit of architectural innovation.

*Text composed by ChatGPT with the prompt: Write an 500-1000 word editorial summary for a lecture about AI in architecture. Use my notes: (human authored notes here).

See more ENGAGE 2023 Practice + Design Conference coverage at aiacolorado.org/conference.

Also, keep an eye out for Damon’s conversation with Adam Wagoner on the Architect-ing podcast to be released in the coming weeks.